Using Turnitin for essay drafts and final submissions Presentation to: HEA Bioscience Centre Meeting 8 th April 2008 By: Dr Viv Rolfe BSc PhD MIBMS FHEA

Why did I use Turnitin in this way? DMU made it mandatory for all programmes to use Turnitin at level 1 (feedback on draft) and for final submissions. Faculty of Health and Life Science 15 members of staff >600 students

DMU made it mandatory for all programmes to use Turnitin at level 1 (feedback on draft) and for final submissions.

Faculty of Health and Life Science

15 members of staff

>600 students

How did I evaluate it? Biomedical Science/Medical Science (BSc Hons.) first year module essay. SEMESTER 1 3 hr eLearning session Writing Referencing / citation Using Turnitin CHRISTMAS ESSAY “ Stem cells” Drafts to Turnitin (view report once) Final submission (no report) SEMESTER 2 3 hr eLearning Feedback LIBRARY SKILLS THIS SEMESTER Describe how stem cell research is advancing medicine today.

Essay results 93 students Many essays formed by a patchwork of websites 31 plagiarism, 1 collusion.

93 students

Many essays formed by a patchwork of websites

31 plagiarism, 1 collusion.

Has Turnitin helped improve drafts? Analysis of % similarity scores. DRAFT ESSAY N=60 N=9 FINAL ESSAY Some made no change Some worse on final submission (reference lists picked up) Efforts to improved score No attempt to improve Blatant copying “ in this research we ….” DIFFERENT fonts Breaking text string Sibling to brother and sister Increased to enhanced

No attempt to improve

Blatant copying

“ in this research we ….”

DIFFERENT fonts

Breaking text string

Sibling to brother and sister

Increased to enhanced

Is this improving academic practice? Majority made no effort to improve their essays. Perhaps they hadn’t had enough training on the reports? Perhaps they didn’t have time? Minority made improvements by breaking the string of words. Is this good practice?

Majority made no effort to improve their essays. Perhaps they hadn’t had enough training on the reports? Perhaps they didn’t have time?

Minority made improvements by breaking the string of words. Is this good practice?

Has it made a difference? Students had a 3 hour session on the use of Turnitin and referencing/citation. Plagiarism incidence increased. No huge attempts to improve draft essays and there was a lack of understanding about referencing and citation.

Students had a 3 hour session on the use of Turnitin and referencing/citation.

Plagiarism incidence increased.

No huge attempts to improve draft essays and there was a lack of understanding about referencing and citation.

Further research Research is on-going at DMU into staff and students experiences of using Turnitin, thoughts on plagiarism and academic offences. Student / staff interviews / questionnaires. Funding: De Montfort University Teaching Quality Enhancement Fund

Research is on-going at DMU into staff and students experiences of using Turnitin, thoughts on plagiarism and academic offences.

Student / staff interviews / questionnaires.

Helpful References Maureen Dawson & Joyce Overfield (2006) Plagiarism: Do students know what it is? BEEJ (8). Ursula McGowan (2005) Plagiarism Detection and Prevention “Are we putting the cart before the horse”? HERDSA. Gill Chester (2001) JISC Plagiarism Detection and Prevention. http://www.jisc.ac.uk/uploaded_documents/plagiarism_final.pdf

Maureen Dawson & Joyce Overfield (2006) Plagiarism: Do students know what it is? BEEJ (8).

Ursula McGowan (2005) Plagiarism Detection and Prevention “Are we putting the cart before the horse”? HERDSA.

Gill Chester (2001) JISC Plagiarism Detection and Prevention. http://www.jisc.ac.uk/uploaded_documents/plagiarism_final.pdf